Work continues on high court parking

A day after Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC) asked for “immediate stopping of work” at a multi-level underground parking on Sher Shah Suri Marg, work continued at the site on Thursday.

The DUAC had on Wednesday asked the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) — authorised by the Delhi High Court, for which the parking is being constructed — to immediately stop work and ensure conservation and preservation of an unnamed tomb within the site.

Prompted due to threat to an unidentified tomb from heavy-duty drilling and digging, the DUAC had visited the site on Feb 10.

Sources said, “Comparison of the old photographs of the monument with current ones clearly showed the deteriorating condition of the Mughal-era monument. The monument’s roof has developed cracks and it is now being supported with brick layers.”

Stating that they had not carried out any “work” at the site, DMRC officials claimed that they are carrying out only “preparatory and mobilising work”.

DMRC also claimed it has got permission from the Heritage Conservation Committee on Jan 10 this year.

But “as regards stopping of work, this should not be an issue at all. We would stop work slowly just as we were slowly preparing for the actual work.”

ASI Delhi Circle chief K K Muhammed said, “The DMRC has to write to the Director General of the ASI for this.

Only then can work for conservation of the monument be taken up officially.”